Synthesis and characterization of porphyrin–TiO2 core–shell nanoparticles as visible light photocatalyst

Abstract

A sol–gel reaction was used to prepare core–shell nanoparticles of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-21H,23H-porphine (PF6) with titania (TiO₂) coating. PF6 molecules would self-assemble to form dispersed PF6 nanoparticles in water during dialysis. The resulting PF6–TiO₂ core–shell nanoparticle was characterized using several methods, revealing a thin TiO₂ layer coated on the surface of the PF6 nanoparticles and confirming the chemical composition of the core–shell structures. The absorption spectrum of the PF6–TiO₂ core–shell nanoparticle was extended to 300–500 nm, which greatly enhanced the photocatalytic efficiency in the visible light spectrum compared to that of bare TiO₂.